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Mail Merge Word Template with Rules issue

Anonymous
2022-04-11T14:57:47+00:00

My work is running Office 365 from Windows 10 Pro.

Since Raiser's Edge can't merge Word docs anymore, I had to create a Mail Merge template in Word for Thank You letters. I used the "if...then...else" rule and "include text" option to have it be the conditional template that can link to all other TY templates. The problem is the pop up when I open the file - see below. I usually say "no" because i don't want it to try and connect to that file for merges. I want to select a new file. But should I be choosing yes?? It has happened twice now that when I choose no it opens (not with the usual page full of rules) with merged letters from that original file. And I have to start all over again.

Hope you can help - I can't keep recreating this over and over!!

Thanks! B

UPDATE: i created a new template with just a couple rules, ran some letters, saved it. Reopened it and said "yes" this time and it still merged letters immediately from the old file and I have AGAIN lost the template.

PII is mask by MSFT

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows

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  1. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-04-12T02:08:56+00:00

    Click on Yes and then use the Select Recipients facility in the Start Mail Merge section of the Mailings tab of the ribbon to select the Data Source that you want to use.

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  2. Charles Kenyon 167.8K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-06-14T20:36:40+00:00

    This is a docx file. I needed to connect an initial data source to it in order to access the Mail Merge Rules (is there a way to access that without connecting a source?!).

    The original doc is just a bunch rules to create a conditional mail merge. And whether I click Yes or No to the SQL prompts, it opens on the merged letters. Everything under Mailings is greyed out so I can't unclick "preview results." I don't know how to get back to the original doc with the coding to edit it/add to it. I have created this doc 3 times and every time this happens.

    Activation of all the controls on the tab requires connection to a source document with the appropriate records and fields. It does not to be a real data source with real data, you can create and save a dummy source if you want. It just needs the column titles and at least one data row.

    The "Rules" are fields. You can construct those fields without using the Rules dialog. Many such fields cannot be constructed using the dialogs.

    I recommend reviewing Paul Edstein's Mailmerge Tips & Tricks. It will lead you into using these fields independently of the drop-downs on the tab.

    P.S. Both Paul Edstein (macropod) and Doug Robbins know much more about Mail Merge than I do.

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  3. Paul Edstein 82,861 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-06-14T09:11:48+00:00

    Word templates are files with extensions like .dot, .dotx or .dotm. These file types should not be used as mailmerge main document(s) as you're liable to get two SQL prompts, amongst other things.

    You should only use files with extensions like .doc, .docx or .docm as your mailmerge main document(s). Then, when you click on 'Edit Individual Documents', Word will create a single new document containing all of the output for all of the records processed.

    Regardless of whether your documents referenced by the INCLUDETEXT fields contain their own mergefields, these documents should not be connected to the datasource, as that's both unnecessary and is liable to generate additional SQL prompts.

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  4. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-06-14T06:16:10+00:00

    Either the document that is the active document is NOT a mail merge main document, or, if it is, it does not have a data source attached to it. It is quite possible that it is a document that was created by executing the merge.

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  5. Doug Robbins - MVP - Office Apps and Services 323.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-04-13T04:36:49+00:00

    It is by default that the SQL Warning message appears when you open a mail merge main document to which a data source is attached. It is NOT a bug!

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